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They've been called
the First Canadians.
The Métis:
born of Aboriginal, Scottish and French
unions more than 200 years ago, they found
themselves outcast, accepted by neither
culture but essential to both.
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The St.
Laurent Metis in the parade procession
for the opening of the Smithsonian Institution's
National Museum of the American Indian. |
The Métis
created their own culture: with music, food,
clothing and language: Michif.
They had their own flag: the symbol for
infinity.
They made themselves
not just useful but essential to the traders
of the day, acting as guides and translators:
a bridge between two cultures.
At one point in the
Red River Valley, the Métis accounted
for 90 per cent of the population.
With the hanging
of Louis Riel, the people of the Métis
Nation scattered and hid behind their French
and Scottish surnames. But the pilot light
was always burning.
In today's more tolerant
times, a good number of Manitobans are re-discovering
their roots, discovering the stories of
shame and racism hidden in their parents
and grandparents' memories.
Some believe the
Métis might again become the bridge
that links Canada's aboriginal and non-aboriginal
cultures, if they can only heal the rifts
from within the "Métis Nation."
But only if they
can overcome significant political, social
and cultural hurdles.
Journalists Patrick
Rey and Kathy Daley take a sometimes-personal
journey through Métis history:
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In
North Dakota, where the michif language
is taught . |
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To
a ghost town in Manitoba where the Métis
were driven out. |
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To
St Laurent, where the French Métis
culture is so resilient as to be recognized
by the Smithsonian Institute. |
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To
Winnipeg's City Hall where the deputy
mayor considers why he, like so many,
tried to outrun history. |
From the descendents
of Louis Riel to today's Métis politicians,
there's no shortage of personal tales of
triumph, sadness and controversy.
About
the Reporters
 Kathy
Daley was
born in Ottawa and has been working in journalism
since 1980. She's been a host and writer/broadcaster
in television and radio with CBC since 1988.
"As with our previous work on The
Future of French in Manitoba, our series
on The Metis took an unexpected personal
turn.
I discovered my son is Metis. It helped
drive home the need to keep a human perspective
on a story that is as old as Canada, and
is still unfolding."
 Patrick
Rey was
born in Saint-Boniface and has been working
at Radio-Canada since 1994. He is currently
a journalist and works the newsdesk at CKSB-Radio-Canada
in Saint-Boniface.
"This second
experience working with a colleague from
CBC Radio was once again full of interesting
twists and turns. Our research on the future
of the Métis nation in Manitoba was
definitely an eye opener and I learned a
host of new things on their culture, their
traditions and their views on our society."
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Episode
1 
Episode
2 
Episode
6 
